Council of Professors fellow Jeniri Amir said this is because PN will capitalise on perceptions surrounding the current Umno leadership, just as it did in the general election (GE15).

Additionally, Jeniri said, PN will have plenty of “ammunition” against Umno should it bar a contest for the top posts as it would prove its point that Umno is unwilling to transform itself by having someone unseat party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Zahid, widely blamed for the party’s dismal showing in GE15 – where it won only 26 seats – is also facing several graft charges.

Jeniri said that PN, which had highlighted Zahid’s court cases and the Umno court cluster during campaigning for GE15, would continue to label him as a “corrupt leader and kleptocrat” as long as he remains in charge of Umno.

“PN will also say Umno is not a democratic party as it doesn’t allow people to contest for the president’s post,” he added.

“All this will tarnish Zahid’s image and that of Umno. Having Zahid (remain) as president will be a liability for Umno, and PN will gain from it.”

He added that PN will also look to shape the public’s opinion against Umno by claiming that it is not a party that one can depend on since it does not practice democratic principles.

Meanwhile, Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs said it would be difficult to erase the “negative image” surrounding corruption that many have about Umno if Zahid did not face any challengers for his post.

“Also, Umno is unlikely to reform under Zahid, which will make it difficult for them to erase their negative image,” he said.

Earlier today, Zahid said he would leave it to party delegates at its annual general assembly to decide if the president and deputy president’s posts should be contested in its upcoming party elections.

Zahid acknowledged that there were differing views on whether the top two posts should be contested, but said he had “confidence in the democratic process”.